Someone to Hold
by MyImmortal329
Summary: Rachel Green is living in a broken family. She makes a decision that can change her life forever. But who will be there to hold her when it's all over?
1. One

Disclaimer: This was inspired by the movie "Fifteen and Pregnant." I do not own the rights to any of the characters from FRIENDS in this story. They belong to Bright-Kauffman-Crane and to NBC.  
  
Someone to Hold  
  
Chapter One  
  
"My parents are divorced," fourteen-year-old Rachel Green said with an aggravated sigh as she lay on the bed in her sixteen-year-old boyfriend's bedroom.  
  
"It just gets worse from then on," Joey replied with a cool laugh. "Don't worry about it. Just relax. Let me take care of you."  
  
"I'm nervous, Joey," Rachel replied.  
  
"Just relax, baby. Don't think about anything, alright? Just look at me and let Joey take care of you." Rachel looked up at Joey with worry in her eyes. He was who she had been seeing for the past few months. She thought he was the one. He was always taking her to parties and introducing her to everyone. She figured that she might as well lose her virginity to him, because he was the one she thought she was going to be with forever.  
  
She closed her eyes as Joey's lips closed in on hers, and a chill ran up her spine. She didn't know what to do. She was scared and she knew it was going to hurt. She just kept her eyes closed and let Joey do everything, because she knew that he was the one that was going to take care of her because her family was broken. Her dad had moved out and she was stuck with her bitch of a mother and her older and younger sister.  
  
"Joey," Rachel whispered as pain overtook her. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and waited until it was over.  
  
"Rachel Karen Green, get your butt down stairs right now! You'll be late for school!" Sandra Green called down from the kitchen of their house. Since the divorce, Sandra had to move into a smaller home and she didn't have maids or cooks anymore. She was doing everything by herself.  
  
Rachel's feet hit the steps of the stairs as she hurried down them, knowing she was late, but not caring. She didn't care about much of anything now that her family was torn apart.  
  
"Why can't I go stay at dad's?" Rachel asked. "At least dad gives a damn about what I do."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Sandra asked. "And don't you ever talk to me like that again!"  
  
"You're always fawning over Jill and Amy. Ugh, never mind. I'm leaving."  
  
"But the school bus . . ."  
  
"I'll walk!" Rachel screamed as she ran out of the house. Her mother sighed and shook her head, knowing that this was just the beginning of Rachel's attitude. She got it from her father.  
  
"What's her problem?" Jill asked. "God, I swear she only thinks about herself sometimes."  
  
"Oh and you don't?" Amy asked, pointing out to her sister that she checked her makeup in the mirror at least five times a day.  
  
"I have to go," Jill said. She grabbed her bag and left. Amy, the oldest, looked at her mother.  
  
"Mom, I'm sorry," Amy said.  
  
"Don't worry about it, honey. Your sisters always fight. They're sisters. That's what they're supposed to do." Amy kissed her mother on the cheek and went to catch the school bus.  
  
Meanwhile, Rachel was walking briskly down the sidewalk. She heard the loud motor of Joey's car and spun around excitedly. It had been a month since she had seen him. She missed him and he never called.  
  
"Joey! Where have you been?" she asked as she ran over to the car.  
  
"I'm sorry, babe. I had a thing to do. You need a ride?" Joey asked. He winked at Rachel and she bit her bottom lip and nodded. She jumped in and he kissed her hotly. She pulled away and buckled her seat belt.  
  
"I missed you."  
  
"Hey, don't get all emotional on me. I've been having a rough time with my folks."  
  
"You're not the only one," Rachel pointed out.  
  
As soon as Joey pulled up to the school, he let Rachel out. He drove off, having quit school months ago. She walked into the building to find her best friend Monica Geller. Monica looked quite tired and ragged.  
  
"Monica!" Rachel exclaimed, running up to her friend.  
  
"Hey Rachel," Monica said with yawn.  
  
"What's the matter?" Rachel asked.  
  
"Chloe kept me up all night," Monica replied. "She's teething." Monica was just a few months older than Rachel. She was fifteen now, and she was the mother of two-year-old Chloe.  
  
"Oh, that sucks," Rachel replied. Her eyes lit up.  
  
"What's up with you?"  
  
"I know I haven't said anything about it, but you know how I'm seeing Joey?"  
  
"Yes," Monica replied, rolling her eyes. Joey was all that Rachel talked about these days.  
  
"Well, last month . . . we kind of did it."  
  
"You kind of did it?" Monica asked closing her locker door.  
  
"Well, we did it."  
  
"Rachel . . . you're only fourteen. Why did you give yourself to Joey?!"  
  
"Why not? You had sex with Richard when you were thirteen!"  
  
"Yeah, and I got a baby and a kick to the curb for that," Monica replied. "I haven't seen Richard since the day I told him I was pregnant. Thank God my parents are wonderful, because I could have been on the streets, Rachel."  
  
"Well, it's not like I'm pregnant," Rachel replied shortly.  
  
"Well, let's hope for your sake that you're not. Believe me, having sex isn't so wonderful this young when you get a baby you're totally not ready for. When we get out of school I'll have my brother take us to the clinic just to be safe."  
  
"Your brother? Won't he tell people about this?"  
  
"Ross? No. Ross knew I was pregnant before my parents did. He won't tell anyone."  
  
"I'm not pregnant!"  
  
"I'm not saying you are. It's just better to know for sure."  
  
"Monica . . ."  
  
"Fine!" Rachel replied. The tardy bell rang and Rachel sighed.  
  
"I've got to go." Rachel ran off and Monica watched her walk off. She shook her head and hoped that her friend would come to her senses before she regretted being with Joey. She knew Joey was a player. Joey had tried to get into bed with Monica several times, but he never succeeded. But she knew he had been with a lot of other girls in the school, and Rachel was just another toy to play with.  
  
After school that day, Rachel walked out to the parking lot to find Monica waiting in Ross' car. Ross wasn't there yet, but Rachel got into the back seat anyway. Monica was fidgeting in the front seat.  
  
"Does Ross know about this yet?"  
  
"Yeah. I saw him in the hall before lunch." Ross Geller was sixteen-year- old and the apple of his parents' eyes. Monica was the screw up in their eyes, but they had allowed her to stay at the house when she got pregnant because they loved her. They just knew that she would never fulfill their dreams and expectations.  
  
"He probably thinks I'm a whore," Rachel mumbled.  
  
"No he doesn't. He likes you."  
  
"What?" Rachel asked.  
  
"Haven't you known? Ross has liked you since we were in elementary school," Monica replied.  
  
"I'm sure he doesn't feel the same way now," Rachel said quietly. Monica shrugged. Rachel had never pictured Ross liking her, but she also realized that she never really paid much attention to him.  
  
Ross opened the driver's side door and got behind the wheel. He started the car and glanced in the mirror. Rachel caught his glance and he quickly looked away. As he drove off, Rachel fastened her seat belt. She was seated next to Chloe's car seat. There were cookie crumbs in it and stains on the seat.  
  
"Chloe's a messy baby," Rachel said aloud.  
  
"Well, she's a baby. Having a baby is a messy job." Rachel was quiet until they arrived at the free clinic. Monica went there when she found out she was having Chloe.  
  
"Ross, why don't you wait in the car?" Monica asked.  
  
"I'm not waiting out here. It's hot," Ross replied. He walked into the clinic with the girls and Monica helped Rachel sign in. Rachel looked around to see several girls her age with babies. She felt horrible for them, and was sure that she wasn't pregnant. She couldn't be, could she?  
  
"Do you want me to go in with you?" Monica asked.  
  
"No. I'll be alright," Rachel replied. She followed a nurse to an exam room. Monica and Ross sat down in some waiting chairs.  
  
"You alright?" Ross asked.  
  
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"I don't know. I was just wondering."  
  
"You're a great big brother, you know that? I don't think I tell you that enough," Monica said with a smile. She kissed her brother's cheek and he pretended to be grossed out.  
  
"Eeew," he groaned. He laughed though and gave his sister a hug.  
  
"You still like her, don't you?" Monica asked.  
  
"Who?" Monica rolled her eyes.  
  
"Rachel, of course."  
  
"No. I don't."  
  
"Yes you do."  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Well, I don't think it does. She's with that Joey guy now."  
  
"Joey Tribbiani is bad news, Ross. She shouldn't be with him."  
  
"I know," Ross replied, but she's got to make her own decisions.  
  
"Yeah, and that led to her having sex, Ross. She needs me as her friend, and I think you could help her too."  
  
"How?" Ross asked, eager for the chance to help Rachel in any way he could.  
  
"I don't know. You can talk to her."  
  
"I guess. Look, she doesn't want anything to do with me. I'm just your geeky older brother."  
  
"I don't think you're geeky. Well, maybe a little, but you're so nice, and I'm sure she'd have a lot of fun talking to you."  
  
"Are you trying to push us together?"  
  
"I don't know. I just think it would be cool if you were better friends with her." Ross shrugged his shoulders. He really did like Rachel. He always thought she was beautiful and sweet. She was just a week away from her fifteenth birthday. He knew that she was going to be an amazing woman one day. But she had already had sex. He wanted to wait for the right girl to come along, and that right girl hadn't come along yet. He always pictured Rachel as being the right girl, saving herself for him, but that never happened. Rachel was no longer a virgin, her first time had been with somebody who was bad news, and she was possibly pregnant. But he couldn't help his feelings. He still loved her. He wanted to help her in any way he could.  
  
"I'll help her in any way I can," Ross promised.  
  
"Good," Monica said with a smile. "I knew I could count on you."  
  
"You can always count on me," Ross reminded his little sister.  
  
A few minutes later, Rachel came out and she had tears in her eyes.  
  
"Oh my God," Monica whispered. She ran over to hug Rachel and there was no need for words. Ross saw the look of devastation in Rachel's eyes and he knew the results without having to ask. Rachel Green was pregnant at fourteen. 


	2. Two

Chapter Two  
  
Rachel arrived at her the steps of her home about fifteen minutes later. She couldn't call it a home, really, but it was the place she lived. She had to go there sometime. When she walked in, her mother was just changing out of her work clothes. Yes, her mother had to get a job after the divorce. Instead of lounging around the house all day while Mr. Green made the money, she had to work. Sandra Green had never worked a day in her life until Rachel's dad got all of the money in a settlement. It was his money, after all, but he had to pay child support.  
  
"Where have you been?" Rachel's mother asked quickly.  
  
"I was with Monica."  
  
"Well, I wish you would call before you go off with your friends after school. You're still a child, Rachel."  
  
"I am not a child," Rachel replied quickly. "I'm fourteen years old, mother. I am a teenager."  
  
"You're barely a teenager. You're not an adult, therefore you are a child. You still live by my rules."  
  
"I wish I lived with dad," Rachel replied angrily before stomping up the stairs. She hated being called a child. Sure, she was young, but she was no longer a child. She was a teenager, and no matter how much she hated the idea, she was going to be a mother in October.  
  
"What's your problem?" Amy asked as she poked her head inside Rachel's bedroom. Rachel was lying on her bed, curled up in a ball. She hated the feeling she had in her stomach. She was already feeling sick, and she knew that it was because she was guilty for getting pregnant so young, and because being pregnant was making her physically sick.  
  
"Go away," Rachel replied. "I don't want to talk to anybody."  
  
"Why not?" Jill asked, walking inside with Amy.  
  
"Just get out of my room!" Rachel screamed.  
  
"Don't be such a bitch, Rachel," Jill replied. She walked out of the room. Amy sat down on Rachel's bed.  
  
"You know I'm here for you, right? We're sisters. We're friends, right?"  
  
"Yeah," Rachel replied quietly. "I just don't want to talk about it right now."  
  
"Is it something really bad?"  
  
"I don't know just yet," Rachel replied.  
  
"Alright. I'll leave you alone for awhile." Amy got up and left the room. Rachel began to sob silently into her pillow. She only wished she could turn back time. She wished that she never would have slept with Joey. Joey! She had to tell Joey. She got up and ran to her phone. She dialed Joey's phone number, hoping not to get his mother. She hated when his mother answered the phone. She always had a million questions to ask.  
  
The phone rang about four times before somebody picked up.  
  
"Hello?" asked a young woman.  
  
"Who's this?" Rachel asked.  
  
"This is Phoebe. Who's this?" she asked.  
  
"I'm Rachel. Is Joey there?"  
  
"Yeah. He's here," Phoebe replied. "Hold on." Rachel heard Joey's voice telling Phoebe to wait outside. He took the phone.  
  
"Hey babe," he said.  
  
"Hey," Rachel said quietly. "Who was that?"  
  
"Oh. That? That was my . . . my cousin Phoebe."  
  
"I didn't know you had a cousin named Phoebe."  
  
"Very distant . . ."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So what's up?"  
  
"I have some news."  
  
"News?"  
  
"Okay. Don't freak out."  
  
"What's the matter?" Joey asked with a yawn.  
  
"Remember that afternoon about a month ago?"  
  
"How could I forget?" he asked in a suggestive manner.  
  
"Focus!" Rachel replied.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"I'm pregnant." There was a long pause. "Joey?"  
  
"You're what?"  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
"As in . . ."  
  
"As in knocked up . . . having a baby. I'm four weeks pregnant. I'm due in . . . October."  
  
"Oh my God."  
  
"I know. I'm shocked too. I thought you should know that . . . because you're going to be a daddy." There was another long pause. Rachel cleared her throat. "Joey?"  
  
"Look, I've got to go."  
  
"We need to talk about this, though," Rachel urged.  
  
"Yeah. I'll call you later." Joey hung up before Rachel had a moment to protest. She slammed the receiver down and sighed heavily. She put her hand on her stomach and went back to her bed to lie down. Not even ten minutes later, Sandra knocked on Rachel's door.  
  
"Rachel, sweetheart, are you awake?"  
  
"Yes, mother," Rachel muttered.  
  
"Your friend Monica is here with Chloe." The door opened and Rachel sat up.  
  
"I'm not up for visitors right now, mom," Rachel replied.  
  
"Just come downstairs, Rachel. You don't look so good. I'll make you some tea, and you and Monica can have a nice chat." Rachel pulled herself out of bed and followed her mother downstairs.  
  
"Hey Rachel," Monica said when she saw her friend. Sandra left the room and Rachel crossed her arms.  
  
"You're talking to me?" Rachel asked.  
  
"For the moment. Look, I just want to tell you that I'll be there for you and your baby as much as I can. I'm really busy with school, work, and Chloe. My parents and Ross help out when they can, but they have lives too, you know? I just want to let you know that it's not going to be easy. Um, and about Joey . . ."  
  
"I just talked to him on the phone."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"He told me he'd call me later to talk about it. He had his cousin Phoebe at his house."  
  
"Phoebe? As in Phoebe Buffay?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't know any Phoebes."  
  
"Oh my God," Monica said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Phoebe is a new girl at the school. She just got here today, and I saw Joey eyeing her all day. I never thought to mention it. Honey, I don't think that Phoebe is Joey's cousin."  
  
"But she was at his house. He said she was a distant cousin."  
  
"I don't think so, Rachel. I'm sorry."  
  
"But he can't be cheating on me! I'm pregnant with his baby."  
  
"This is reality, Rachel. It happens. I know you wanted your life to be some happy fairytale, but it is never going to be that way. Your Prince Charming got you pregnant and cheated on you."  
  
"No! He can't be cheating on me!"  
  
"Sweetie, I'm so sorry," Monica said. Rachel began to cry.  
  
"I need proof."  
  
"I can't help you there. Honey, I have to take Chloe to the dentist." Monica held her arms out to hug Rachel. "You don't need that jerk anyway."  
  
"But we were going to be so happy . . ."  
  
"I know," Monica whispered. "I have to go, alright? I'll call you later?" Rachel nodded slowly. Monica left with Chloe. Sandra walked into the room and saw her very distraught daughter.  
  
"Sweetheart, what's the matter?" Sandra asked. Rachel looked at her mother with teary eyes.  
  
"I'm pregnant," she replied. Before her mother had a chance to react, Rachel was running out the front door toward Joey's house.  
  
A few minutes later, Rachel opened the gate to the front of Joey's parents' house. She saw a car parked in the driveway that had never been there before. It was at that moment that she saw Joey coming out the front door. Rachel was then shocked to see a pretty blonde girl about a year older than her walk out behind him. She saw that they were holding hands. Rachel's heart began to pound and a lump formed in her throat. Her dreams of a family with Joey and her baby shattered right then and there. This was her proof.  
  
Rachel swallowed hard and marched up the sidewalk briskly.  
  
"Cousins, huh? If she's your cousin, Joey, then what the hell are you doing kissing her?"  
  
"What's going on?" Phoebe asked slowly. Joey looked like he had seen a ghost.  
  
"I'm Rachel . . . Joey's pregnant girlfriend!" Rachel exclaimed. Phoebe pulled her hand away from Joey.  
  
"You have a girlfriend?!"  
  
"He told me you were his cousin. Come on. I'm sure you knew."  
  
"I just got here! He said he'd show me the ropes. He never told me he had a girlfriend!" Phoebe exclaimed loudly.  
  
"Well now you know!" Rachel screamed. Phoebe slapped Joey across the face and walked up to Rachel.  
  
"I'm very sorry, Rachel. I didn't know. Don't worry. I won't come around this scumbag anymore." Phoebe walked off and Rachel crossed her arms and stared at Joey.  
  
"Hey baby," Joey said awkwardly.  
  
"Don't even start," Rachel replied. "You have no idea how much I wanted to believe that you weren't cheating on me. All of my friends told me you were bad news. I was hoping you'd prove them wrong. I wanted you to be a good guy. I can't believe I actually gave myself to you. It wasn't worth it! Now I'm pregnant with your kid! What the hell was I thinking?!"  
  
"You knew my reputation, babe. You should have thought about it before you jumped in the sack with me."  
  
"Excuse me?!" Rachel asked. "You're the one that pressured me! You're such a jerk!"  
  
"Well, I heard you were loose, so I just figured . . ."  
  
"You were my first! I am not loose. But I feel cheap now. I feel so cheap, and it is your fault! I blame myself for getting involved with you, but I blame you for being the stupid jerk that you are! I hate you, Joey. I hate you."  
  
"Well, like it or not, I'm that kid's father."  
  
"Like you even care! I'm sure you won't see it. You don't care. You're too busy corrupting young girls like me. Well, I can only feel sorry for them. But you're the one I feel sorry for the most. You know why? Because you're pathetic." Rachel ran off with tears in her eyes. She couldn't go home right now. She figured her mother would kill her. She needed to just let off some steam. She needed a shoulder to cry on.  
  
She slowed her run as she started to get out of breath. That was when she saw the familiar car coming down the dirt road. She flagged Ross down and she stopped by the side of the road. He opened the passenger door without question and Rachel hopped in. He drove off and he looked over to see that Rachel was crying.  
  
"What happened?" he asked after a few minutes.  
  
"Oh I just told Joey that I'm pregnant. And I found him sleeping with some new girl. Phoebe . . . something."  
  
"Phoebe Buffay?" Ross asked.  
  
"Yeah," Rachel replied.  
  
"She's a nice girl . . ." Rachel glared at Ross. "Sorry."  
  
"It's alright. She didn't know that Joey was dating me. He's such a scumbag."  
  
"I'm so sorry, Rachel," he said. He put his hand on her knee for a moment. She glanced at him and he quickly pulled away as if he'd been bitten by a snake. He cleared his throat.  
  
"You need me to take you home?"  
  
"No," Rachel replied with a sob. "I can't go home right now."  
  
"Well . . . I know a place we can go." Ross turned down another road and drove off toward the country. Rachel leaned back in her seat and silent tears slipped down her cheeks, her dreams of a perfect life shattered, her heart broken into pieces.  
  
They soon stopped by the lake and Ross parked alongside the road.  
  
"Where are we?" Rachel asked after she wiped away the remaining tears that still clutched onto her eyelashes.  
  
"This is a place I come to when I need to unwind. I call it Lake Ross," Ross replied with a chuckle. "I'm not really sure what it's called. I never see anybody else around here. It's really relaxing."  
  
"It's beautiful," Rachel replied with a sigh. "You know, I wish I was still a kid. I'm only fourteen and I'm having a baby. I just wish that I could turn back time and never meet Joey."  
  
"I know," Ross replied. "But people make choices and mistakes. It's inevitable."  
  
"I just wish it had been somebody else, you know? I hate feeling like this." Rachel got out of the car and she walked over to the water's edge. Ross got out and walked over to stand beside her.  
  
"Rachel, just don't think about it right now. Okay, I'll tell you what. This always works for me." He stood behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them gently. "Close your eyes?" Rachel trembled nervously under his touch. She closed her eyes and listened to Ross' words.  
  
"Okay," she said softly.  
  
"Now, just think about what makes you happiest in the world." Rachel couldn't think of anything. Her whole life was a mess.  
  
"I don't . . . I don't know."  
  
"Rachel, something's got to make you happy."  
  
"Well, talking to you and . . . and to Monica makes me feel better."  
  
"Alright. Just picture . . . picture this moment," Ross said. "Picture it in your mind."  
  
"Okay," Rachel said slowly.  
  
"Listen to every sound. How do you feel now?" Rachel sighed slowly.  
  
"I feel relaxed. I feel better." She opened her eyes and turned around. "Thank you, Ross. You're really a great guy." She hugged him and she held her close for a few moments. He had always wanted to hold her. But now . . . things were different. He did want to hold her, but she wasn't the same Rachel he had always had a crush on. She had so much pain in her life, and if he tried to get involved, he wondered if it would make her life better or worse.  
  
Ross pulled away and cleared his throat nervously.  
  
"I better take you home."  
  
"I can't go home. I can't face my mom right now."  
  
"Want me to take you to your dad's?"  
  
"Yeah," Rachel said with a nod. She always got along well with her father. She smiled at Ross and he put his arm around her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head on his chest. She breathed in the smell of his cologne and closed her eyes slowly. "Ross?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Promise me something . . ."  
  
"Yeah?" Ross asked again.  
  
"Promise me that you'll always be there for me when I need a friend." Ross smiled and pulled away from Rachel. He held her hands in his.  
  
"Rachel, I promise you that I'll always be there for you. If you need me, call me, and I'll be there. I don't care if it's three in the morning. Call me. I'll always come to help."  
  
"Thank you," Rachel said. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. The two headed back to Ross' car and he drove off toward her father's house. Rachel looked out the window, thinking about the predicament she was in. Her hand slipped over her belly and she watched out of the corner of her eye as Ross glanced at her. His hand slipped over to rest on top of her free hand, and she smiled, knowing that Ross truly was somebody she could count on.  
  
As soon as Ross pulled up to Dr. Green's large estate which he had won in the divorce settlement, Rachel got out of the car.  
  
"Do you want me to go in with you?" Ross asked.  
  
"No. I'm okay," Rachel replied. "I'm daddy's favorite." Ross chuckled a little and pulled around to park while Rachel walked up the white marble steps to the large oak door. She pressed the doorbell and waited for Kitty, the maid, to answer the door. However, she was surprised to find her father answering the door.  
  
"Hello pumpkin."  
  
"Daddy, you fired Kitty?"  
  
"I sent her on a long vacation," Dr. Green replied quickly.  
  
"Did you hear from mom?"  
  
"Yeah. She told me about your, uh, situation."  
  
"Right," Rachel replied. "Daddy, the thing is, I don't want to live with her. I want to live with you."  
  
"Sweetheart, your mother got custody of you girls. There's nothing I can do."  
  
"But daddy, you've got money. Can't you take her back to court?"  
  
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I can't do that."  
  
"Mom probably hates me."  
  
"She said you ran out and didn't give her a chance to yell at you. She doesn't hate you, pumpkin. She's worried about you. She called me as soon as you left. She was afraid you'd run off with the circus or something."  
  
"No. I'm not that stupid," Rachel replied.  
  
"Well, you did get pregnant at fourteen. That's not what I call smart."  
  
"Daddy, I know what I did was stupid. I wish I could take it back, because the guy that put me in this position is a total loser. My friends tried to tell me, but I wouldn't listen. He's not going to be involved, and I'm not sure I want him to be either. But I know what I did was wrong. I just want to get past this and move on."  
  
"How can you move on, Rachel? You're going to be a mother for the rest of your life." That's when it hit her. She suddenly realized that she was going to be somebody's mother forever. She would be mommy. She would be the one the baby ran to when it needed a boo-boo kissed.  
  
"Oh my God," Rachel cried. "Daddy, I can't do this."  
  
"Rachel, you're a week shy of your fifteenth birthday. You're going to have a baby before you learn how to drive a car."  
  
"Can't we look at the big picture, daddy?! I'm going to have a child in school before I graduate college! I'm too young for this!"  
  
"Well, we can get rid of it."  
  
"What?" Rachel asked slowly.  
  
"You don't have to have it."  
  
"No!" Rachel exclaimed. "You want me to kill my baby?!"  
  
"I'm not saying I want you to do that. I'm just letting you know that you have an option."  
  
"I won't do that!"  
  
"Well, you can give the baby up for adoption."  
  
"I don't know what to do, daddy. I just know that it's not going to be easy on mom either. I know that she works and she's not going to have an easy time while I'm at school."  
  
"At least you're thinking about staying in school. Rachel, this baby's going to change your life forever. I hope you're ready, because you're in for a big wake up call." At that moment, the phone rang and Dr. Green answered it. "Hello?" Rachel watched her father and he looked at her. "It's for you."  
  
"Who is it?" Rachel asked.  
  
"It's Joey." 


	3. Three

Chapter Three  
  
Rachel looked at her father for a moment before she took the phone in her hands. She slowly put the receiver up to her ear and took a deep breath.  
  
"Hey," she said. "What do you want?"  
  
"I want to talk about the baby. I called your house and your mom yelled at me, so I called here."  
  
"I don't want you to call me."  
  
"Look, Rach, I know I messed up. You've got to forgive me. I really want to be there for you and the baby."  
  
"No," Rachel said quietly. "I don't want you in my life. I just want you to leave me alone. I hate you for what you did to me. Just never call me again."  
  
"I have the right to call you! That's my kid you're carrying inside of you!"  
  
"You gave up the right to call this your child . . . and the right to call me, when you cheated on me!"  
  
"He cheated on you?" Dr. Green asked angrily. He took the phone from Rachel.  
  
"Daddy, please!"  
  
"You cheated on my little girl, you little bastard?!" Dr. Green bellowed. "Listen to me, if you ever hurt her again, I'll hunt you down and cut off your . . ."  
  
"Daddy!" Rachel exclaimed again.  
  
"You don't come near her, you hear me?" Dr. Green slammed the phone down and looked at Rachel. "You actually let that creep get you pregnant?"  
  
"It's not like I wanted this to happen!"  
  
"Well, you obviously had sex, so you were obviously aware of the consequences."  
  
"I know," Rachel sobbed into her hands. "I know. But I didn't think it was going to happen to me."  
  
"Look, I'm going to be over at your mother's later. We'll all sit down and have a family discussion."  
  
"What about Joey?"  
  
"I don't want him near you."  
  
"But he's the baby's father."  
  
"You told him you didn't want him near the baby!"  
  
"I know! But my baby needs to at least know who Joey is, you know?"  
  
"Are you sure you even want to keep it? You're so young, Rachel. There's adoption . . ."  
  
"I don't know, daddy! I just don't want to think about it right now."  
  
"Alright, pumpkin. I'll be over later and we'll have a family discussion."  
  
"We aren't a family anymore, daddy. We're a broken family." Rachel turned around and walked out. She saw Ross waiting for her, so she got into the passenger side and buckled in.  
  
"How'd it go?"  
  
"I'm so confused. Joey called. I told him I didn't want him around. But he is the baby's father, you know? I think the baby needs to know him."  
  
"It's up to you, Rachel. Your baby is . . . your responsibility."  
  
"God, just a year ago I was still playing with baby dolls. Now I'm going to have a real one." She began to cry again, and Ross realized that it was probably better if he didn't say anything else just yet. He just put an arm around her and drove off toward her home.  
  
Rachel woke around six that night. She barely remembered Ross dropping her off. She had walked through the back door and straight up to her room, thankfully avoiding her mother and her sisters. She locked herself in her room to sleep away the horrible feelings that inhabited her soul and her body.  
  
"Rachel!" called the voice of her mother. Her mother had heard her slam and lock her when she got home, so she knew her daughter was home. Rachel pulled herself out of bed and walked over to her mirror. She ran a brush through her messy, tangled hair, and after her mother's third call up to her, she opened her door and walked downstairs.  
  
"What's going on?" Jill asked. Jill and Amy were both seated on the couch next to their mother. Dr. Green was standing by the fireplace with his arms folded sternly over his chest.  
  
"Rachel, why don't you tell your sisters?" Sandra asked. Rachel looked at her father for help.  
  
"Daddy . . ."  
  
"Rachel, I can't help you with this one. You got yourself into this mess, so you can have the decency to tell your sisters what's going on."  
  
"Rach?" Amy asked. "What's going on?" Rachel took a deep breath as a lump formed in her throat. Tears welled in her eyes, and she knew that she was going to burst into tears at any moment.  
  
"Oh God," Rachel whispered. She wiped tears from her eyes and she took a deep breath. "Amy, Jill, mom and dad already know. I only just found out. Um, basically I'm . . . I'm pregnant."  
  
"What?!" Jill asked, jumping up off of the couch. "How can you be pregnant?!"  
  
"Oh Rach, I'm sorry," Amy said softly. Amy stayed seated and tugged on Jill's arm to sit her down.  
  
"Great!" Jill exclaimed. "Now my older sister is a slut. People are going to think I am too!"  
  
"Shut up, Jill! Not everything is about you!" Amy yelled.  
  
"Girls!" Sandra exclaimed.  
  
"What are we going to do about this? That's the real question," Dr. Green replied.  
  
"I think she should get rid of it," Jill replied. "Nobody has to know."  
  
"Joey knows," Rachel replied. "And Ross and Monica know. I'm not getting rid of it. I won't do that."  
  
"Well, I think it serves you right. You shouldn't have screwed the first guy who . . ."  
  
"Shut up, Jill!" Rachel screamed. "I know I did a stupid thing, but this is reality now! I am living with my mistakes, and I'm not going to kill my baby!" Jill was silent after her sister's outburst.  
  
"I think the best thing to do is to give the baby up for adoption," Sandra stated. Amy looked at her mother with disgust.  
  
"How could you say that? You want to give a part of our family away to some strangers?!"  
  
"There are a lot of people out there who really want babies and can't have them, dear," Sandra started.  
  
"Rachel can't give her baby away!" Amy argued. Rachel sighed heavily.  
  
"Who's making the decision here?!" Rachel asked. "Who's the one that's in this mess?"  
  
"We all are, thanks to you," Jill snapped. "You're such a slut. Thank God Amy's clean."  
  
"Shut up you spoiled little brat," Amy said. "You're only thirteen. You don't know a damned thing about this situation, so I suggest you shut your mouth before I shut it for you."  
  
"Amy, don't talk that way to your sister," Dr. Green warned.  
  
"We aren't getting anywhere. I'm the pregnant fourteen year old, and I'm acting more mature than the rest of you!" Rachel exclaimed. "I'll make this clear to you all right now! I'm not having an abortion and I'm not giving up my baby. I'm going to have it because I made the mistake and I have to live with it. I'll be a mother for the rest of my life. I'll have responsibility, but at least I won't have to worry about my baby not being loved or not being paid attention to. While you are all fighting, I'll be with my baby in my room!" Rachel stormed upstairs and slammed her bedroom door. She threw herself down on her bed and held a pillow against her stomach. "I'm sorry . . . I'm so sorry. You're not even born yet and I'm the only one that wants you here."  
  
At that moment, the phone rang again.  
  
"I've got it!" Rachel screamed down. She picked up the phone, hoping it was Monica or Ross. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey babe."  
  
"Leave me alone," Rachel said angrily. "You don't care about me."  
  
"Of course I do."  
  
"You don't care about my baby."  
  
"It's my baby too, so I think I should get some say."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Look. I've been thinking about this. We're both young and we have a lot of future ahead of us."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Well, don't you think it might be easier if you just get rid of it?"  
  
"No!" Rachel exclaimed. "I'm not doing that. For the millionth time, I'll never do that!"  
  
"Rachel, calm down."  
  
"I won't calm down."  
  
"Look, if it means that much to you then . . . I want to be there."  
  
"No you don't."  
  
"I do. I really do." Rachel smiled a little, being taken over by Joey's charm. He had always had that effect on her. That's probably why she slept with him in the first place.  
  
"Well . . . alright," she started. "But if you really want to do this, you prove it to me."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Come talk to my parents about it."  
  
"No . . . come on. Your parents hate me."  
  
"Yeah, but at least they'd know that you are going to keep your word if you come by . . ."  
  
"Fine. When?"  
  
"How about on my birthday?"  
  
"That's when?"  
  
"Next week."  
  
"Fine. Next week then."  
  
"Good. I'll see you later." Joey hung up and Rachel hung up, really hoping that Joey would be true to his word. Little did she know, she still had a lot of growing up to do before she could realize that Joey wasn't a guy to keep promises.  
  
Rachel hurried downstairs with a big smile on her face. She saw her parents talking with her sisters. When she walked back into the living room, they all turned to stare at her.  
  
"What was that phone call about?" Sandra asked.  
  
"That was Joey."  
  
"I told him to leave you alone!" Dr. Green exclaimed.  
  
"It's okay, daddy. He's coming over here on my birthday to talk to you and mom. He wants to let you know that he's going to be around."  
  
"I don't believe him."  
  
"You'll see. He can change, daddy. He'll be there."  
  
"I don't trust him, Rach," Amy commented. "He's in my grade, and he's all the time trying to . . ."  
  
"Look, Amy," Rachel started, "Joey's going to change. Just wait. You'll see."  
  
That evening, Monica and Ross were sitting on the couch in the living room. Jack and Judy had long since gone to bed. Little Chloe was sleeping on her Uncle Ross' lap. The movie they were watching was just going off.  
  
Monica yawned and stood up.  
  
"It's time to go to bed. Here, give Chloe to me." Ross lifted Chloe off of his lap and handed her to her mother. "Night Ross."  
  
"Good night." He watched Monica go upstairs with the baby, and he walked outside to sit on the front porch. He stared out at the foggy night and sighed heavily thinking of Rachel. What was he doing? She was fourteen and he was sixteen. She was a week away from her fifteenth birthday, still so young, but she was having the problems of a twenty five year old. He hated that she was suffering, and he only wanted to whisk her away from all of her problems. But he knew that could never happen. Rachel was one to face her problems head on after she thought about them. He knew that right now, she was probably determining what she was going to do for the rest of her life after the baby was born.  
  
He sighed and shut the front door. He took off walking down the road. He needed some fresh air. But the only place he could think to go was to Rachel's house. He walked up her lane and saw her bedroom light on. He stood by the gate of her house and watched as she sat on her bed clutching a pillow to her body. He then saw that she was talking on the phone with a big smile on her face. That was when he knew she was talking to Joey. He hung his head and turned to walk away, knowing that the girl of his dreams was just that. A dream. 


End file.
